A Fair Not To Miss!

Never been to a show at the Cow Palace in San Francisco? Well now is your chance! Only it won’t be a music show, it will be a college fair. Doesn’t sound so fun? Well here are many reasons to go:

1. Attending a nearby college fair is a great way to jump start or supplement your college search.
2. With between 200-400 schools present at a typical national fair and several dozen schools present at your local community center or high school fair, these events allow you to fathom quickly a great and varied terrain of colleges.
3. A college fair also allows you to engage with admissions officers and ask them questions that will help you gauge if a college is a match. Keep in mind that for your college application essays you may be asked to write about why you want to attend a school. The college fair is a great place to gather answers to this question.
4. But you already have a college list? Even better! This is the best opportunity to connect with admissions representatives.
   
   

Tips
Before you go

• Register for the event! Check out the upcoming San Francisco National College Fair slated for Saturday afternoon on April 29th at Cow Palace Arena. Be sure to register here:  www.gotomyncf.com
• Examine the list of participating colleges and decide which colleges are on the top of your list to investigate. Take advantage of the opportunity to engage with college representatives who are visiting from out-of-state or abroad. If you are a sophomore, you might see this opportunity as a great moment to explore. If you are a junior, you may want to make this a more strategic affair by pinpointing colleges you want to attend and making a point to leave an impression on admissions officers. This is especially advantageous if you will be unable to make a visit to the college campus.
• Being at a huge event with lots of people can be draining. Pack your favorite snacks and plan to take some breaks.
• Pack a bag. The NACAC College Fair offers one, but pack one just in case they run out. There will be many marketing materials that you may want to bring home and study. These materials may help you to write your college admissions essays later.

“Send a thank you note/email to the college representatives you met. This simple gesture can show admission officials you're serious about wanting to attend their college.” NACAC website

At the college fair

• Go in with an open mind. This one goes for students and parents. Try not to zero in on any one college or any one particular location. Allow for unexpected discoveries and encounters.
• Attend an information session to learn about the college search and financial aid.
• Make the effort to connect with the representative as if you were meeting a new friend. Be personable, try to understand why they love the college they represent. Ask them to help you figure out if their college is a good fit for you. Never underestimate who you may be speaking with. The college representative may be the person who will review your application. And remember to get a business card for each person you connect with! See my closing tip!
• Make a list of questions that you can ask each school to best measure if the school is a fit for you. Consider questions for representatives that you cannot easily answer by going on the website:
  • Are there many students that are interested in _________? How might I find them on your campus?
  • How would you describe the student culture at your school?
  • What do you like about the college? What distinguishes your college?
  • What do students like about the college?
  • How does freshman advising work? What kinds of advising exists for undergraduates?
  • Can I double majors in subjects that are housed at two separate colleges (College of Arts and Sciences & College of Engineering?
  • What departments are particularly strong?
  • What career preparation and advising is available to students?
  • What research or internship opportunities are available to students?
  • If a school is isolated in a rural location, ask: how do students handle being so far away from everything?
• Leave some time to wander and see where your curiosity leads you. Sometimes students stumble onto colleges that are a great fit.

After the fair
To emphasize how important this last step is, I’m taking my words straight from the NACAC website: “Send a thank you note/email to the college representatives you met. This simple gesture can show admission officials you're serious about wanting to attend their college.”